Blair Kinghorn reveals the wake-up call he gave Maro Itoje upon arriving in Lions camp

“I got in about quarter to 12. I was thinking, ‘Surely there won’t be anyone in the room’" Kinghorn said, at the Lions training camp in Brisbane. "I go in, chuck the bags down and up he pops. I was like, ‘Uh, sorry!’ He’d been sleeping and I woke him up,” Kinghorn recalled. “It was funny – he woke up, shook my hand and went straight back to sleep.”

That quiet handshake might’ve been the calmest moment in what’s been a chaotic few days for the 27-year-old. Just hours before his trip 'down under', Kinghorn had played 100 minutes in the Top 14 final, as Toulouse were pushed into extra time for a 39-33 win against a resolved Bordeaux outfit. Kinghorn celebrated Toulouse’s epic win well into the early hours before boarding a midday flight to Australia.

“My bag was packed… packing for two separate things is a bit stressful,” he said. “I was just trying to stay focused, thinking, ‘Right, let’s win this final’ and then head off and join the Lions.”

Having only just joined up with Andy Farrell's squad, Kinghorn won’t be rushed into action for when the Lions take on the Reds in Brisbane tomorrow, but the Waratahs match on Saturday is firmly in sight. Though he’s linking up later than most, his recent success and sharp form make him an intriguing addition to Andy Farrell’s back-three options.

Kinghorn believes his time at Toulouse, where elite depth and intense competition for places is the norm for the French titans, has left him well prepared for the high standards in Lions camp.

“At Toulouse, the squad is so deep and so talented that you’ve got to be on top of your game every day in training,” he said. “It’s high pressure, but it makes you thrive… It’s the same with the Lions.”

Despite the demanding schedule and long-haul travel, Kinghorn arrives buzzing with momentum and full of belief. He’s bringing more than fresh legs, he’s bringing a winning mentality from Stade Toulousain. And in a squad preparing for a brutal Test series, that sort of energy might just prove invaluable.